The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1887-10-20
National Tribune Stories,
II.
"WOOED IN HASTE"


from the Orderly Sergeant's tent. What's
wanted2"
"a Sergeant and five men are wanted, Cap
tain" said the Adjutant, lifting the flap of the
tent and speaking inside, to go over on to
Poplar Creek, about 10 miles from here. Pick
out a good Sergeant and good men. and send
them up to headquarters Immediately"
''All right, Adiutant," responded the Captain.
"All my Sergeants are good, and all my men
arc good. Co. M don't have any other kind.
They'll be up to headquarters about as soon as
you are. Orderly, what Sergeants turn for
duty is it?"
Med BIaisdeIrs, sir" answered the Orderly
Sergeant.
"All right; notify him at once, and detail
five men to go with him."
"Serg't Blaisdell. McElhone. Moore, Murphy,
Nevins and Nieewarner," called the Orderly
Sergeant, stepping out into the company street,
saddle your horses as quick as you can and
report to headquarters. It's scout over to
Poplar Creek"
take plenty of cartridges, sugar, coffee and
salt, boys" said Ned Blaisdel, as he tossed into
his hayersack all of those useful articles which
he could find in his tent, leaving the rest of
his mess to replenish their stock as best they
could.
In less time than have taken to tell it the
six well-armed, well-mounted troopers sat on
their horses in front of the ColonePs tent. On
the right was Ned Blaisdell, slender, 1.-the and
sinewy, with his forage cap sitting rather
jauntily on a mass of clOse-eTopt, black curls.
The occurrence of his 2ist birthday and his
assumption Of the three yellow stripes of cav
airy Sergeant were quite recent events. He
rested the but of his trusty Shapes cardiac
on his thigh and waited for the Adjutant to
communicate his instructions.
Sergeant" said the latter, coming out of the
tent, the Colonels got news that Bob Eberly,
a HaghfpO rahaI bn bcu baa =
good deal of trouble for the Union men of this
part of Tennessee, is again in the neighbor-
hood, and he's expected tonight at Union
mans on Poplar Creek, named Walter Duckett.
This boy here will guide you to the house.
The Colonel wants Mr.. Eberly, and wants him
bad, and don't know any better way for you
to make yourself very solid at headquarters
than by getting him. You needn't be very
particular whether he's alive or dead. The
main things to get him. Make your own plans,
but keep your eye peeled for danger. for he's a
lively cuss and spry with his revolver; and be
sure you fetch him, either with or without
working buttonhole in his hide"
IF he comes to the house he's our meat"
said Blaisdell firmly, and. saluting, rode off at
the head of his squad, with the boy by his side.
After they had ridden a mile or so, Ned
opened up conversation with the long haired,
bold-eyed yOungster:
"Who is this Bob Eberly2"
"Pisenest rebel in East Tennessee" respond
ed the boy sententiOusly. jeff Davis hain't
no wuss devil in his whole gang. I'd like to
see him skinned alive"
How did you know he was going to be at
this house; let me see what is the n2me?"
"Duckett," replied the boy; Walter Duckett.
He's my uncle"
80, he is. Well. how do you know that Bob
Eberly is to be there tonight"
We'll, mister" said the boy, with the drawl-
ing information Of the true East Tennessean,
" hit was jest this away. / was over to Uncle
Jim Skinner's-he hain't real uncle O. mine
/ hain't no real kin who are rebels-he was
once married to sister o. my mothers, but
she's dead, an he's married to 'nuther woman,
who's as bad rebel as he is. Well, as I was
| a-sayin',I wuz over to Uncle Jim SINNERS
this mornin'. an who should see thar but Bob
Eberly-big as life an twice as devilish. He
didn't pay no 'tention to me, tho, an don't
| think he knOwed who wuz. / went up into
| the haymOw in the stable to git some aigs for
Aunt Lucinda, an while wuz thar in come
Bob Eberly and Uncle Jim to look at Bob's
boss, which WIZ in the stall. Neither nv 'em
| knOwed wuZ in the haymow, an i could hear
every word they said. They were a-talkin'
about the Lircolnites, as they called 'em, in
| the neighbOrhood, an a-cussin' 'em. They be-
gun a-talkin' bout my Uncle Walter, an
picked up my ears, i tell you. They both
settlement, and that something ought to be done
with him. Bob Eberly said that that wuz part
of his bizness here. He wuz a-gwine over to
| Uncle Walters tonight, with couple more
men. an take Uncle Walter an Cousin Onel,
an put 'em into the rebel army. 'Mebbe,' seq
Bob, with mean laugh, this III bring the high
/ an mighty Miss 'Tilda down often her high
boss. Mebbe she'll take il all back bout never
| speakin' to me no mo-. Mebbe she'll think
better bout vowin' she wouldn't marry me if
| / was the last man on earth. / ruther guess
| she'd ruther marry me than see her old father
totin musket in Bragg's army to be shot at
by the Yankee sharpshooters.'
HE laughed, an Uncle Jim laughed, an said
he guessed So too; an' wuz so mad that
wanted to jab 'em both with the pitchfork that
| was layin' beside me, but jes' KEEP quiet as
could, an when they both went outen the sta
bic, an sat down on the porch on the other
| side of the house, to drink an smoke, / slid
! down, tuck the aigs into Aunt Lucindy, an
then got on my pony ez quick ez / could, an
lit out for home. l tole mother what / had
heered. an we concluded that the best thing
we could do wuz for me to come over here an
| tell yOu'uns, for could git here afore | could
git to Uncle Walters. She said she'd try to 60
| to Uncle Walters an warn him."
| "Who is Miss 'Tilda?" asked Blaisdell with
an interest that was not wholly military.
"Why, 'Tilda Duckett = she's Uncle Wal
ter's daughter"
"How old is she?"
LES see; she's five years older'n me. an ]
| wuz 10 on my last birthday"
/ THAT would make her 20. Is she hand
| some?"
Handsome? o. N.Y. You just ought to SEE
| her once. She attended the seminary at Knox.
| ville and wuZ the purtiest girl in the whole
| lot Everybody said sO-an' the smartest
| She's the purtiest Duckett that ever lived. u:
| buckets amt much purity; people say we
| run more to strength and brains than good
looks. Cousin 'Tilda gets her good looks from
| her mother. who was Sangdon. All the
Sangdons are good looking, but they are weak
| and sickly."
This Bob Eberly wants to marry her, doe.
hep"
"You bet he does. He's been wantin' to fol
years-almost ever since / kin remember"
"How has Miss 'Tilda felt about it?"
al reckon that she used to like him much
better'n she does now. Jest afore the wal
broke out everybody said they were agwine Il
be married. But they fell out over the war
Cousin 'Tilda an all her folks being Union, an
Eberly bein' a rebel. She told Eberly she never
wanted him to darken her door ag'in. but b,
has tod everybody that he's bound to hey her
| or die trying TO git her."
These easy flowing revelations as to the sen
timental situation on Poplar Creek continued
until, just rs the sun was sinking behind the
tops of the western mountains, the boy said:
Were now bout mile from Uncle Wal
ters. If we take this here path through the
woods We kin come up behind the house with
out anybody seeing US go thar, an so we'll b,
sure to surprise Dir. Eberly when he comes thii
II l. Al. - II